1808 50C MS66 NGC. O-109a, R.3. A runaway Condition Census
example that is completely brilliant and alive with vibrant, satiny
luster. In addition to the faint clashing of the scroll between the
portrait and the date and of portions of the eagle's wings on each
side of Liberty, there is a network of peripheral die cracks on the
obverse indicative of a later die state. Despite extensive die use,
virtually all details are extremely well defined. If an equally
well preserved example of this die marriage exists, we have neither
seen nor heard of it. Population: 7 in 66, 2 finer
(11/06).(Registry
values: N7079) (NGC ID# 24EP, PCGS# 6090)

The Draped Bust Half Dollars of 1796-1797 by Jon Amato is the culmination of more than 10 years of research into the Draped Bust Small Eagle half dollar series, one of the most coveted type coins in American numismatics and one about which remarkably little has been written.

This work will be the premier reference for 1796-1797 half dollars for years to come. Institutions having an extensive numismatic library or coin cabinet will find it a valuable complement to their holdings, and catalogers charged with writing up specimens for auction can now have an indispensable source of background and pedigree information. Likewise, coin dealers seeking to purchase one or more '96 or '97 half dollars for a client or for inventory, and collectors who own, have owned, or desire to own one will want this important reference work for their libraries.